It was a pleasure to welcome Cowley Chess Club’s young FIDE Master Kenneth Hobson to give a simultaneous display on 2 November.
Kenneth took on 17 players and scored an impressive +14 =1 -2.
After an hour the master had already chalked up a few wins.
But he didn’t have it all his own way. Dougal Main was doing well…
Our junior rising stars offered the toughest challenge. David Warimwe scored the first win for the club with a clever counter-attack.
Kenneth Hobson – David Warimwe
(White to play)
Kenneth has a slight advantage and visions of attacking on the kingside. David has just played 18…c5! to open lines on the queenside.
19. bxc5 dxc5 20. Nxb7?!
The best move is 20. b3!, which stops …c4 and keeps the centre stable so that White can focus on kingside operations.
20… Qxb7 21. Qxc5 Ng4!
A sneaky move. White has won a pawn but will not be able to keep it. Black threatens to expel the queen and then take over the g1-a7 diagonal with his own queen.
22. h3
Giving the king some room. Another plan is 22. Rfe1 Rac8 23. Qa3 Qa7+ 24. d4 exd4 25. Qxa6.
22… Rac8 23. Qd6?
Threatening the a-pawn but it would have been better to do this with 23. Qa3, when the position is level.
23… Ne3 24. Rf2 Rc6!
Protecting the a-pawn but crucially forcing White’s queen to a square where she will be forked.
25. Qb4 Nxc2 26. Rxc2 Rxc2 27. f6 Qb6+ 28. Kh2 Qxf6
David has turned the tables and all of his pieces have sprung to life.
29. Qb3 Rec8 30. Rf1 Qf4+ 31. Kh1 Re2 32. Nh2
32…Rc1! 0-1
Raffael Geier played the best game of the evening.
Kenneth Hobson – Raffael Geier
(Black to play)
Raffael has defended well and seizes the initiative with
11…f5!
Stopping 12. Bxh7+ and controlling the e4 square.
12. O-O-O e5!
Forcing White onto the backfoot already by threatening 13…e4 winning a piece.
13. Be2?!
13. Bf1 is the only move to keep White in the game: 13… e4 14. d4! since 14… exf3 15. dxc5 regains the piece thanks to the pin on the d-file.
13… e4 14. Nd5
No better is 14. Ne1 Nd4 15. Qb1 Nxb3+ and Black is winning.
14 …exf3 15. gxf3 Be6 16. Rhg1 g6
Kenneth tries to set up tricks against the black king but Raffael will have none of it.
17. Nxe7+ Qxe7 18. h4 Nd4 19. Qd3
19…Bxc4! 20. bxc4 Nxe2+ 21. Kb1 Nxg1 22. Rxg1
Raffael is a whole rook up and makes sure that the result is never in doubt.
22…Rad8 23. Qc3 Kf7 24. d3 Ne8 25. Re1 Qd7 26. Qe5 Qxd3+ 27. Ka1 Qd6 28. Qe3 Nf6 29. Qh6 Qd2 30. Re3 Qd1+ 31. Ka2 Rd2 32. Qf4 Qc1 33. Qe5 Qxc4+ 34. Rb3 Kg8 35. h5 Qd5 36. Qe7 Rf7 37. Qe3 c4 38. Rc3 Rd3 39. Qxa7 Qe6 40. h6 Rxc3 41. Bxc3 Qe2+ 42. Ka1 Rd7 43. Bd4 Qd1+ 44. Ka2 Qb3+ 45. Ka1 c3 46. Qb8+ Kf7 47. Qe5 Qb2 mate 0-1
Kenneth Hobson – Tom Symons Jones
(Black to play)
Tom’s position seems desperate. What did he play? (Solution below)
Thank you Kenneth for a fun and instructive evening!
Tom escaped by 1…Rxg2+ 2. Kh1 Rg1+! 3. Rxg1 Rxg1+ 4. Kxg1 Qd1+ 5. Kg2 Qg4+ with a draw by perpetual check.
